Municipal Energy Planning

The Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission (CVRPC) developed Regional Energy Plan to advance the State’s Comprehensive Energy Plan’s climate and energy goals while also being consistent with municipal and regional land use plans. CVRPC is working with its member municipalities to identify techniques to achieve the State’s energy goals including the siting of renewable resources, coordinating transportation with land use planning, and protecting locally significant resources from adverse impacts of renewable energy development.

Municipal Enhanced Energy Planning in Vermont – Best Practices and Resources

The Best Practices Guide for Local Enhanced Energy Planning provides municipalities with an overview of the standards outlined in Act 174 of 2016 relative to enhanced energy planning.  Additionally, this guide includes examples of implementation actions that have been included in local energy plans from other municipalities throughout the state. This guide will serve as a resource for communities interested in pursuing enhanced energy planning to receive “substantial deference” before the Public Utility Commission for projects seeking a certificate of public good.

The Regional Energy Plan will also help to implement the recent legislation (Act 174) to improve the siting of renewable energy projects by giving towns and regions a greater voice in the Section 248 process.

Approved Regional Energy Plan

For additional resources and information regarding Municipal energy planning, please follow the link below:

Municipal Energy Planning Resources

Programs